While upgrades to technology and textbooks may hit the chopping block as school officials in Clarkston prepare to carve $1.6 million from the budget, other issues are off the table.
Special education laws require public schools to provide services to eligible students, but when government funding falls short, the district is left with no choice but to pick up the tab.
‘The vast majority of special education services are mandated by law,? said School Board President Stephen Hyer, noting the district has some flexibility in the way it offers and funds services, but not much. ‘The federal government promised they would fund 40 percent; I think they’re currently at 16 or 17 percent.?
According to a report from the by the district’s Student Support Services Department, educating students with disabilities was not mandated by law prior to 1970.
Since, legislation’most recently No Child Left Behind (2001) and the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEIA, 2004) requires all public schools to make specific provisions for students with disabilities.
‘As needed as some of these laws are, the federal government has violated their own oath to pay for 40 percent of the cost of special education,? said Superintendent Al Roberts during the Special Services presentation. ‘There are lots of hidden costs we’re not being paid for through IDEIA or any of the (special education) laws. That’s unfortunate; the laws are correct and what we’re trying to do is correct, but the funding level remains less than desirable.?
Currently, districts must provide special education assessment within 30 days for any parent who requests it for his or her child.
Costs for testing, however, are not reimbursed for students who are brought up for evaluation but don’t qualify for services.
Laws also require general education teachers to be present while Individual Education Plans (IEP) are created, often taking educators out of the classroom for extended periods.
‘It’s nice to talk about involving general education teachers as part of the IEP team,? Roberts said.
‘But if you were to sit at any session to discuss a youngster’s needs and do the best we can for that child, you might see 6 or 10 people sitting around a table and we’ve not been funded for that.?
In addition, districts in Michigan are required to provide services for individuals from birth to age 26, and are also charged with providing support to nonpublic and home-schooled students.
In Clarkston, 1,162 children and young adults?14.11 percent of the district’s student population’qualify for and receive special education services.
To fund services, the district, like others, receives revenue from multiple sources: State Aid currently accounts for 24 percent of the $13 million-plus budget, PA18, an Oakland County millage, makes up 41percent, and federal grants provide 13 percent.
The remaining 22 percent’nearly $3 million, comes from the district’s general fund.
The report, presented by Jodi Yeloushan, Executive Director of Student Support Services, compared Clarkston to neighboring districts, provided detailed data and gave the school board a large volume of information to consider as they approach next year’s budget.
‘I’m very impressed with the amount of work that went into this,? said Hyer. ‘We can finally establish a baseline to know how we’re doing, where were going, and what the trends are. We haven’t had that in the past, and I think it’s a very large step forward.?
Next week: The Clarkston News talks to Yeloushan and others about specific issues facing the district’s special education program.